So thankful for this board and needing some FMQ advice on a Brother 9050
 

Hi everyone! I have been here sporadically over the years. And have often come here (posting and just reading) for your valuable advice. Life has thrown me some huge curves in the last few years so my quilting time has been limited. I am a handquilter at heart..with quilt in my lap and I love it. Have never thought myself a great quilter but my children, other family, and friends who have my quilts seem to treasure them and that is what matters.

I recently bought a Brother SQ 9050. It is what I could afford. I sewed on a $99 Brother for about 20 years before it gave out and I bought another one and it was quite the dud. But I think it was just that machine and so I put my faith in another economical brother. So far I am very happy with it. I am attempting FMQ for the first time. Have made many, many sandwiches to practice on and I honestly think I have the motion pretty well. Not perfect, but not bad. But my stitches on the back are inconsitent. I don't think it is the tension. It is set at the factory 4 and I have tried moving it...but it seems best at the four. Some of the stitches on the back are fine. Others just a little loop. Any idea of what I am doing wrong? This machine has the foot pedal option and the start/stop button. Stitches seem a little better with the button.

Thank you for any advice you can offer. I have learned so much here and am much appreciative. (Have tried the 505 spray and so far absolutely love it. That is the only part of quilting I do not like...basting.)

Rachel

http://www.ohfransson.com/oh_fransso...-quilting.html
http://www.daystyledesigns.com/freemotionquilting.htm

Try these, have patience and fun.

I'm messing with it and enjoying myself

i am also learning the fmq, trying not to have to buy a quilting set up, im havin problems with mine skipping stitches, or it makes the stitch but it wont catch for sometimes 5 or 6 beats and there is that piece stretched across there that has to be clipped. ive done everything i know to do broke it down and cleaned everywhere, oiled, checked tensions, and im not moving too fast, it has gone through almost a whole quilt doing just fine and now its messin up bad, i just cant figure it out, but mine is a singersimple. im fixin to upgrade, anyone have any suggestions?

Rachel,
I also really enjoy having this forum to come to! As for your FMQ stitching issues, I have to share with you that during the few months I was practicing FMQ (on a more $ machine) I was also having problems with my stitch quality. I thought for a time that there were some threads I couldn't use because of skipped stitches and "eyelashes" on the back, especially around curves. My stitches were fine when I put a regular foot on and stitched on the quilt sandwich, everything looked fine. I just kept practicing, and at first only used thread that worked best for me. After I'd been at it for almost a year, I went back and tried some of that "bad" thread, and it worked fine! I think what really happened is that I got much better about being coordinated and steady with my hand motion and foot control speed. So, if your stitch tension is good with a regular foot, then just keep practicing and I believe it WILL get better. Once you get in the zone with your FMQing you may find you really enjoy it too. Have fun with it and don't stress over it. :thumbup:

"Eyelashes" is a good description! I found I get those if I am going too fast. It is a lot about learning hand control and slowing down. I had read some place you should try to go as fast as possible. I tried it and the front looked great. I turned to the back and was horrified! Half of the quilt had those "eyelashes" all over it. I too thought it was tension until I read a post on here, I think in the Links and Resources, about slowing down especially on curves.

thank you so much! I played with it all day. The 'eyelash' description is perfect...I get them on my curves. It is definitely a hand/speed situation. Glad of that...I so didn't want to mess with the tension. I did get better....but finally stopped and practiced with my walkng foot on a spray basted sample piece. The first time I used my walking foot I got puckers everywhere and I am pretty good with thread basting. This was alot of fun! I want to do more than the diagonal lines (hence the FMQ) but at least I can do the walking foot now. At least I hope it will still be successful when an actual quilt and not a practice piece.

Weezy...thanks for the tutorials! Good luck your self. You too, kritterwood. And thanks AZWendy and Ellie!